/ 4 October 2010

New vehicle sales up 16,6% in September

New vehicle sales rose 16,6% to 41 875 year on year in September from 35 915 in the same period in 2009.

The National Association of Automobile manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) reported this year-on-year monthly growth figure of 16.6% was down “substantially” on the year-on-year improvement of 36,9% registered during the previous month of August 2010.

New passenger car sales rose 26% to 29 993 year on year in September compared with 23 802 last year. Naamsa said that new passenger car sales had received support from continued strong demand from the car rental industry.

However, total industry September new car sales reflected a decline of 10,5% month on month in September, compared with August 2010, which 33 525 new cars had been sold.

During September, the market had been impacted by growing stock shortages as a result of the industrial action experienced.

“September, 2010 new car sales had also received some support from the availability of dealer inventory which did not as yet attract the carbon emissions tax and which was ultimately set to raise new car prices by 2,5% on average,” Naamsa said.

Light commercial vehicles sales down
The full impact of the environmental tax was expected to reflect in the October and particularly in the November 2010 new car sales figures.

Sales of industry new light commercial vehicles, bakkies and minibuses fell 5,8% to 9 916 year on year in September from 10 524 in a similar period
in 2009.

On the month, new light commercial vehicle sales were also down by 8,1% month on month in September, compared to August 2010, principally due to the impact of strike action.

In the medium and heavy truck segments, medium commercial vehicles increased 13,4% to 618, and heavy trucks and bus sales surged 29,1% to 1 348.

“The figures suggested renewed fixed nvestment momentum on the part of the private and public sectors,” Naamsa said. — I-Net Bridge